As expensive as they are, cars are not immune to the throwaway culture we find ourselves living in. All too often, owners look for a replacement before they really need it. Instead, there’s a lot you could do to give your car a much longer lifespan. A few changes and a few new habits could save you a lot of money in the long run.

Stick to the schedule

Every car comes with a maintenance schedule and a log book, but there are too many owners who don’t think they need to follow it as well as they should. Every car needs regular servicing, not only to help it increase its lifespan. These logbooks also help the car retain a lot of its value when it comes time to finally resell your old auto.

Do more yourself

Don’t let the mechanic be your one-stop shop for all your maintenance and repairs. From body work to oil changes, brake pads and spark plugs, there’s a lot more you could do for your car yourself. With suppliers like www.ctisupply.com, you can drastically cut the costs of maintaining the car. If you spend more time maintaining it, you’re more likely to spot the warning signs of something more seriously wrong under the surface, as well.

Not too much, not little.

As www.popularmechanics.com shows, there are a lot of habits we fall into that can shorten the life of a car. This is true of how you drive, as well. You don’t want to decrease the value by adding unnecessary mileage, but you can do as much damage by driving the car too little, too. Other bad habits include braking and accelerating too suddenly, riding the brakes, and spending too long idling your car to “warm the engine up”. All of these can damage various parts of the car.

Keep it hidden, keep it safe

Time is the worst ravager of them all, and it’s particularly unkind to cars that spend all their time outdoors. The wind, rain, snow, and even the sun can all age your car well beyond its years. When it’s possible, keep it indoors. When it’s not, then look at the possibility of custom fitted covers from services like www.weathertech.com.

Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater

It’s a trend that’s growing more common as of late and a rather worrying one. When the car needs a part replacement, more owners are opting to replace the car, instead. All cars have their inefficiencies and it’s not a sign that it’s “over the hill” if it needs a new clutch or alternator. If those replacements become too commonplace, you might have cause for concern, but don’t get rid of your car when a replacement could add plenty of years to its life.

While you should do what you can to improve the life of your car, always take the opinion of a trusted mechanic into account. Look at your own budget, too. If you’re starting to pay more than half of the car’s worth in repairs annually, it’s time for a new one.